A few weeks had passed since Sir Thomas Armstrong arrived to visit his childhood best friend and his family.
With Thomas's assistance, Jonathan had finally saved up enough money to enroll Xavier in the Pennsylvania Royal Academy. Wanting to make it a special moment, Jonathan instructed Aleksander and Violet to keep the news a secret, planning to surprise Xavier with the announcement himself.
To celebrate, Jonathan invited his father-in-law, Gavriil, to join the occasion. To keep Xavier distracted, Aleksander and Violet took him to the town carnival for the day.
When Xavier returned home, still buzzing with excitement from the carnival, he was caught off guard as a burst of confetti exploded in his face.
"What?" Xavier blinked in confusion, wiping bits of paper from his hair.
Before he could process what was happening, a strong pair of arms wrapped around him. "My son, congratulations on being accepted to the Pennsylvania Royal Academy!" his grandfather, Gavriil, boomed with joy.
Xavier's eyes widened as he looked up at his grandfather. "Wait, what do you mean, Grandpa?"
Jonathan stepped forward, smiling warmly. "You're going to school, Xavier. The same academy as Aleksander and Violet. No more being cooped up at home. You'll get to meet new people and make friends."
The realization hit Xavier all at once. His eyes shimmered with excitement as he turned and hugged Jonathan tightly. "Thank you, Dad!"
Jonathan chuckled, stroking Xavier's hair. "I love you, my son."
The celebration continued as the family feasted. Jason, Xavier's cousin, rushed over, barely able to contain his excitement. "I can't wait to show off my cute cousin to my friends!"
Xavier laughed, nodding. "And I can't wait to meet them."
As they chatted, Miss Charlotte, Jason's mother, appeared with an armful of packages. "I wasn't sure what sweets you liked, so I bought everything the candy shop had!" she declared with a bright smile.
Xavier's jaw dropped at the mountain of chocolates and treats before him. "Thank you, Aunt Charlotte! You're the best!"
Jonathan, watching from a distance, smiled. "I'm glad he's looking forward to school."
Gavriil nodded. "That's normal for a child his age. The chance to make friends is a gift in itself."
Thomas, standing beside them, sighed. Gavriil noticed his unease and raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong, Thomas?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Thomas muttered, shifting on his feet. "It's just… it's surreal talking so casually with a king."
Gavriil chuckled. "Is that all? Relax, Thomas. You're my son-in-law's best friend and my grandchildren's uncle. You don't need to worry about noble formalities."
Thomas exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and smiled. It was humbling to stand beside Saint Gavriil Ivanovich, Grand Prince of Moscow, Tsar of All Russia, and the Grand King of the Kingdom of Russia. He was also the father of Princess Fyodora Ivanovich, Jonathan's late wife, and the grandfather of Aleksander, Violet, and Xavier.
Just as Xavier was about to indulge in his pile of sweets, Gavriil stepped forward with a mysterious smile. "I have a gift for you as well, Xavier."
He held out a small box wrapped in luxurious material. Xavier took it carefully, eyes filled with curiosity. As he unwrapped it, he found a pair of elegant glasses nestled inside.
"What's this, Grandpa?" Xavier asked, tilting his head.
"Those are called The Visors of Time," Gavriil said with a smirk.
The room went silent.
Charlotte gasped. "Your Majesty, did you just give Xavier an ethereal instrument?"
Thomas paled. "That's a Universal Relic. Only royal families across different races have those!"
Gavriil simply smiled. "I know exactly what I've given him. And there's a reason."
Jonathan, sweating slightly, cleared his throat. "Father… I didn't expect you to gift him something so… significant."
"Of course I would," Gavriil said matter-of-factly. "He's my grandson."
He turned back to Xavier. "Go on, try them on."
Xavier hesitated for a moment before slipping on the glasses. Almost immediately, his dazzling celestial eyes faded, replaced by a deep crimson hue—just like Jonathan's.
Aleksander's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, I see now."
Gavriil chuckled. "So you understand? I gave Xavier those glasses because I heard his eyes constantly strain his mind and body."
Aleksander nodded. "Yeah… Xavier's eyes are incredibly unique, but they drain him faster than most people."
"Exactly. The Visors of Time will help alleviate that burden."
Xavier, still processing everything, looked up. "So… what do these glasses do?"
Gavriil's expression softened. "They once belonged to Merlin the Wise, the Consul of the Future and the first princess of the Imperial Kingdom of Korea. These glasses hold a fragment of her power—time manipulation."
Xavier's face lit up. "Wait, I can control time?!"
Gavriil laughed. "Not exactly. The true abilities of the glasses can only be used by their original owner. But you will still receive their passive effects."
"Which are?" Xavier asked eagerly.
"They reset the wearer's mental state once a day. They won't replace sleep, but they'll prevent extreme mental fatigue."
Violet's eyes sparkled. "That's amazing!"
Xavier grinned, excitement radiating from him.
Charlotte smiled warmly. "You look quite handsome in those glasses, Xavier."
"Yeah, very cool, little brother," Violet added.
Xavier blushed at the praise. "Thanks, Violet. Thanks, Aunt Charlotte."
Jason threw an arm around Xavier's shoulder, smirking. "Man, you're lucky. Getting an ethereal instrument as a gift? That's insane."
Aleksander, studying Xavier closely, mused, "Is the eye color change also a passive effect?"
Gavriil shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. Maybe the glasses are suppressing his natural eye abilities? What I do know is that they're indestructible."
Aleksander smirked. "Even if they broke, they'd probably just reset their own time and repair themselves."
Gavriil chuckled. "Quite literally."
Overjoyed, Xavier threw his arms around Gavriil. "Thank you so much, Grandpa!"
Gavriil hugged him back, his laughter warm and genuine.
And so, the celebration continued late into the night, marking the beginning of Xavier's journey to the Pennsylvania Royal Academy.